Spring/Summer Update
Office Updates, EMDR, Schedule Changes
Jess Helle-Morrissey, MA, MSW, LICSW, PMH-C, CLD(CBI), CLEC
Hello, dear clients. It’s hard to believe it’s already time to send out another newsletter but time moves so differently these days, doesn’t it? We’re living in a time of in-betweens right now. With the renewal of the spring season come so many reasons for renewed hope, but there are also many unknowns as we all navigate what’s ahead. My wish for everyone reading this is for moments of deep calming breaths and grounding when the moment allows. Pardon the length of this newsletter, but there is a lot to share about what’s new in my practice.
One important ongoing note: I continue to be totally full, and I still get weekly new client requests. I want to remind folks again that if you are not someone who has a standing weekly/bi-weekly appointment, to please regularly go in and self-schedule out your next 4-6 appointments in the secure client portal if you want to guarantee a spot on the schedule. This also helps me know when to refer new client requests out or when I might have an opening to take on a new client. I greatly appreciate your help with this!
New Office Location
I’ve shared this with some folks in session but when I’m back in person, all sessions will be held in my new office in St. Paul! Prior to the pandemic I rented a day from a colleague in Minneapolis on Mondays and a day from a colleague in St. Paul on Thursdays. Due to some shifts in my and my colleagues’ schedules and rental agreements, those days and locations became unavailable during the pandemic. Luckily, a full-time opportunity for an office rental came up in the house next door to the one I rented from in St. Paul and I signed a lease in March. So for those of you who visited my St. Paul office, you’ll park in the same place and just come into the house next door at 1678 Selby. I’m currently working on furnishing it and putting things on the walls so it’s cozy and inviting and ready for in-person sessions soon!
Transition to In-Office Plan
Speaking of that… I am still playing it a bit by ear as we find out what the future holds with the removal of the mask mandate and new CDC guidelines around vaccination and masking/social distancing. I have a couple different scenarios in mind in terms of returning to in-person, unmasked sessions in my new office. In one scenario, I may return to some in-office sessions the week after 4th of July. I’m going to continue watching the numbers and see how that feels. If it feels like we may want to give it a bit more time, my plan is to begin in-person work again the second week of August.
My ask of you is that if you choose to return to in-person sessions in the office that you be fully vaccinated. I want to be able to do in-person sessions without masks, and I feel comfortable with the robust emerging data that full vaccination status protects against both transmission and severe disease. This is on an honor system - I’m not going to ask anyone to show me proof of vaccination - but I trust my clients. I will continue to offer Telehealth as I had prior to Covid. It is a great option for when someone is sick, when childcare falls through, when the weather is bad, etc. I also understand if personal comfort level with unmasked in-person work is not there yet and telehealth feels more comfortable, or if you are choosing to remain unvaccinated at this time. But my hope is to continue with majority in-person sessions as before the the pandemic.
Schedule Changes and Summer Vacations
While we’re talking about changes, I’ll be changing up my work days for the first time in 10 years in private practice! My youngest starts kindergarten in the fall and we have some different schedule considerations to work around in our house, so beginning the second week of August my work days will be Tuesdays and Wednesdays instead of Mondays and Thursdays. In the fall after we’ve settled into our new school routine, I will add an additional half day, likely Thursday. I’ll be checking in with clients who have recurring weekly appointments about their preferred day/time to switch their appointment to and then we will fill in the rest!
While we’re talking about schedules, please note I have a few times this summer where I will be attending a training or otherwise out of town. Mark your calendars if your regular appointment falls on these days:
Monday, June 28th
Thursday July 8th
Thursday July 22nd
August 2-6th
EMDR Therapy
This winter, I was trained in EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), the gold standard evidence-based treatment for reprocessing and integrating traumatic or troubling memories and events. Most recently it’s been in the news for having been used by Prince Harry to process some of his own trauma. I have no particular feelings about the monarchy one way or another but the clip of him doing EMDR is a great representation of what EMDR looks like! If it’s something that piques your curiosity, let’s talk about it in session and see if it is something you might be interested in integrating into therapy.
Book Recommendation
Many of you have heard me recommend a new book, What Happened To You by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry. It is a wonderfully approachable and relatable book about trauma, attachment, early relationships, and how they affect our brains and our relationships to others. It’s the book I’ve been wishing someone would write for years that really explains the neurobiology of trauma and what we did or did not get in our earliest relationships in childhood in a way that is straightforward and understandable. Dr. Perry has been a leading expert on trauma and the brain for 25 years and Oprah is, well… Oprah! It’s not perfect - there are a couple areas toward the end that send some messages that could be seen as what I might think of as “toxic positivity” about trauma. But overall, I highly recommend this book whether trauma is a part of your life story or you’re just looking to know more about the human experience.
EXPLORE ANAM COUNSELING’S WEBSITE
Anam Counseling
Practical Counseling with Heart and Soul
Jess Helle-Morrissey, MA, MSW, LICSW, PMH-C, CLD(CBI), CLEC
www.anamcounseling.com